County board sends smart meter resolution back to committee

An Oakland County Board of Commissioners resolution that would position the county against a policy placing fees on families opting out of electricity measuring smart meters was struck down Thursday and sent back to committee.

While some commissioners, such as Commissioner Jim Runestad, R-White Lake, said they felt "outside pressure" was hindering the vote on the resolution, others said there were added, last-minute amendments to the document that needed clarification.

Despite recently being passed almost unanimously in committee, the resolution was sent back to the Commission's general government committee with a vote of 16-5. An added amendment as the commissioners voted to send it to committee for the second time, brought about by Commissioner Mattie McKinney Hatchett, was that the resolution be seen again by the board during the second meeting in October.

Hatchett's reasoning was that she did not want the document to "go to committee and die," which echoed Runestad's comments, who added that an amendment he recently added wasn't even being voted upon.

About 10 anti-smart meter activists spoke in favor of the resolution, stating a onetime fee of just over $67 and monthly fees of nearly $10 were ridiculous for those who chose not to have a meter installed in their home.

David Sheldon, an avid anti-smart meter activist who spoke among many during public comment, said it was hard to know how to read the Commission's Thursday vote.

"We're a bit discouraged, but happy that the resolution has to come back to the board soon," Sheldon said immediately following the vote. "We're definitely not going to make it easy to kill, I'll tell you that."

Commission Chairman Michael Gingell, R-Orion Township, said that he doesn't exactly know how he'll vote when the issue comes before the board again, but that the end game -- if it is passed -- would simply be a piece of paper being sent to state lawmakers voicing the county's dislike for the meters. And it wouldn't be binding, he said. To that end, Gingell put forth a resolution to address non-binding resolutions such as smart meter opt-out policies and other issues that aren't germane to Oakland County.

About the Author

John Turk covers the police beat and the Oakland County Board of Commissioners for The Oakland Press. He is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University. Reach the author at john.turk@oakpress.com
or follow John on Twitter: @jrturk.